Training for sub-15 after losing fitness

Weeks 9-10:

*Week of 11/12/18

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Mon. - 10

Tues. - 10 - easy progression with Stephen from 7:30 to 6:30 for miles 1-6.

Wed. - 11 - 8k tempo on the track in 27:36 (avg HR 169) - 5:34, 5:27, 5:30, 5:32, 5:32. 44 degrees F.

Thurs. - 9

Fri. - 9

Sat. - 13 mi long run (easy progression down to 6:30) @ 7:13/mi

Sun. - rest

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62 miles

6:47 avg for easy/long runs

Weight: 147.8

Sleep: 8 hrs/day

*Week of 11/19/18

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Mon. - 8 - 8x400 @ 69-70 w/ 400 jog, 2x200 w/ full recovery - 30.9, 30.6.

Tues. - 7

Wed. - 6 - Fartlek: 3x1 min hard, 1 min easy (5:00-5:15 pace on hard segments)

Thurs. - AM: 8 - Turkey Trot 5k - 16:07, 3rd place. Very flat course, 52 degrees F; PM: 4.7

Fri. - 8

Sat. - 12 mi long run @ 6:50/mi

Sun. - 8 - 4 mi tempo in 22:17 (avg HR 172) - 5:20, 5:33, 5:38, 5:44. 64 degrees F, 100% humidity.

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62 miles

6:47 avg for easy/long runs

Weight: 148.0

Sleep: 7.8 hrs/day

Weeks 11-12:

*Week of 11/26/18

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Mon. - 9 - Fartlek: 6x1 min hard, 1 min easy (5:00-5:15 pace on hard segments)

Tues. - 9 (slow recovery jog)

Wed. - 2 - 10 mins on the "Zero Runner," 8 mins descending on the treadmill (all due to right knee pain); Iced and took ibuprofen.

Thurs. - 5.8 - 1x600 @ 1:48 w/ 600 jog, 4x400 - 73, 74, 73, 70 w/ 400 jog, all on grass in XC spikes. Very windy. Leaves and acorns everywhere.

Fri. - 6

Sat. - 4 - Fartlek: 3x1 min hard, 1 min easy @ 5k pace

Sun. - 8 - 5k road race - 16:25, 1st place. 50 degrees F. Very windy. 79 ft of climbing. Worth 16:13-16:15 on flat course according to Strava's GAP. Ran solo the whole time but had a biker in front of me, which helped a little.

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43 miles

7:12 avg for easy runs

Weight: 149.3

Sleep: 8.1 hrs/day

*Week of 12/3/18

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Mon. - 10

Tues. - 9 (slow recovery jog)

Wed. - 8.4

Thurs. - 10.1 - 6 mi tempo @ 5:39/mi (5:36 GAP), 4x200 @ mile pace w/ 200 jog. 48 degrees F.

Fri. - 12 - treadmill

Sat. - 6.6

Sun. - 14 mi long run @ 6:30/mi

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70 miles

6:59 avg for easy/long runs

Weight: 148.7

Sleep: 8 hrs/day

Looks like you are probably in sub-16 shape on the track right now - possibly even 15:45 or so in a good race. If I were you, I'd try to maximize training this season at the 70 miles per week range (which you have already reached as a peak). If you get a few chances at 5000 races on the track this next outdoor season, 15:29 is a good goal.

Breaking 15 may not happen in 2019, but seems like a very realistic goal for 2020 if you can stay healthy.

Still training?

Bump

Update:

I took time off to attack a hopeless thesis and an internship at an athletic performance facility. Got the job there now, so back to training.

In the interest of time, I'll just be copy/pasting from my excel sheet log from now on. The format will be messy, but not illegible. I'll clean it up in future posts.

*Week of 9/2/19

4 35 mins recovery 90 degs, 8:43/mi, 148 HR

4.25 3 mi progression (7:56, 7:23, 6:56), 4x100m strides 74 degs, HR for each mile: 150, 161, 160. Progression was around campus loop

0 Rest Resting in prep for 5k. Progressing to 6d running/wk conservatively

4 Recovery pace w/ pre-race fartlek - 3x1 min on, 2 mins off

5 Alumni 5k - hard tempo effort 17:46 3 mile (I cut the course short… oops). 5:55/mi. Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) - 5:51/mi. Estimated track 5000m fitness - 17:50.

0 Rest

0 Rest I got lazy over the weekend :(

Total - 17

*Week of 9/9/19

5 Easy HR monitor out of battery. Annoying

5 Easy

0 Rest

5 Easy

5 3 mi tempo run @ 6:13/mi 5k course

4 Recov, 7:58/mi 144 bpm

8 Easy LR, 7:46/mi 147 bpm

Total - 32

*Week of 9/16/19

6 Easy Low volume speed work + one rep session for economy in prep for next week - probably 300s or 400s. Also do another moderate low volume tempo run to keep building on threshold fitness.

5.75 Track Workout - 1 mi tempo (6:00/mi) then Ladder @ Mile pace 1:1 rest: 2x(2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2) [3.3 mi tot]

0 Rest

6 Recov

5.5 Pre-race fartlek: 3x60s @ 5k pace w/ 3 mins easy

7.1 5k race Goal: win, 17:30. Result: won, 17:30. Lol. Splits - 5:45, 5:27, 5:40. I don't like how I paced it. 17:18 GAP. 2 mi w up, 2 mi cd. Est track 5000m fitness: 17:06

9 Easy LR 7:52/mi @ 146 bpm (7:40 GAP)

Total - 39

*Week of 9/23/19

0

7.5 "Warm-up: 1.5 mi jog, 4x100m strides

Track Workout: 3x2k @ threshold (5:52-5:54/mi) w/ 90s rest, then 4x200 @ mile pace w/ 200 jog

Cooldown: 1 mi jog" 2ks: 7:21.8, 7:20.4, 7:15.6. 200s: 34.6, 37.0, 39.0, 35.3. Too fast on the last 2k and too uneven on the 200s. The darkness screwed up my pacing. I merely adopted the dark. I was not born in it nor molded by it.

7.25 6.5 mi progression 7:55, 7:23, 7:10, 7:05, 6:50, 6:37, 3:13

0

3 Light shakeout

7 2x1600m Relay w/ friends for fun Goal: 4:49. Result: 4:48. Splits: 71, 2:26, 3:40, 4:48 (67.5 last lap)

9 Long run 7:50/mi @ 140 bpm (7:38 GAP)

Total - 34

*Week of 9/30/19

0

7 Running club workout: 30 min steady state (~1 min slower than 5k race pace) 6:47, 6:41, 6:31, 6:43, 3:04 (last 0.47, ~6:32/mi). Forgot HR monitor, sadly. Very flat route

7 Easy 7:28/mi

0

6.25 4x1 mi @ threshold w/ 60s rest Ran at Hubbard Middle School. Track was definitely short. Sharp turns. Slightly uphill on the bends. I'll go out and measure with a wheel at some point so I can know exactly what I ran for this workout. Split 5:16, 5:13, 5:16, 5:06 for each 4 laps. Ran until watch said 1.00 mile (5:27-5:40)

0

10 Easy LR 7:20/mi. Avg HR 145 bpm. Really screwed up on time management this week. Pisses me off

Total - 30

*Week of 10/7/19

5 Easy

5.5 Running club track workout: 4x1k @ CV w/ 200 jog, spike up, then 5x200 @ 35 w/ 60s rest 3:29, 3:34, 3:32, 3:36. 35, 35, 35, 34.

0

8 Easy 7:28/mi

1

5 3mi tempo "17:15, 5:44/mi (17:03, 5:40/mi GAP). 5:59, 5:40, 5:34. HR was about 168 bpm (new data says current max HR is 196, so this is 85.7% max HR). 65 degs. As my fitness increases, I will hold myself to a standard of maintaining 88% max HR (172 bpm) for tempo runs, as this is the lower limit prescribed by Daniels. Estimated track 5000m fitness - 16:20 (based on a conservative estimate of track lactate threshold being 5:40/mi in 65 degree weather).

This morning, Eluid Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 during the Ineos 1:59 project, becoming the first man to complete the marathon distance under 2 hours."

10 Easy progressive LR "69:50 - 6:59/mi (6:48/mi GAP) @ 143 bpm average. 60 degs.

This morning, at the Chicago Marathon, Brigid Kosgei ran 2:14:04 to break Paula Radcliffe's 16-year-old women's marathon world record by 1 minute, 22 seconds."

Total - 34

*Week of 10/14/19

0 Easy

6 Easy

7.6 4mi tempo through park 5:42/mi, HR was around 174-175 during last couple miles

7 Easy

7.1 4x1200 @ CV w/ 200 jog, spike up, 4x200 @ mile pace w/ 200 jog, 1x400 @ mile pace "1200s - 4:00, 4:01, 4:01, 4:00

200s - 33.7, 33.8, 34.1, 34.7

400 - 67.9 (had to run wide due to middle schoolers)"

6.5 Recov 8:00/mi intentionally

10 LR 7:16/mi @ 149 bpm. Slept way too late and ran in the heat.

Total - 44

Upcoming 5k races this weekend and next weekend. Won't race for 2 weeks after that. Then a 1600m time trial. Then a Turkey Trot 5k. Then a 5mi race in NYC (hopefully).

Est current track 5000m fitness - 16:06 in great conditions

Long-term goal is still the same - sub-15 track 5000.

*Week of 10/21/19

Mon- 7- Easy 7:10/mi (6:59 GAP)

Tues- 8.3- 4mi track tempo, 6x200 @ mile pace w/ 200 jog 5:35 avg. HR in the last 2 miles was ~172 (88% max HR). 33-34 on the 200s.

Wed- 6- Easy 7:02/mi (6:50 GAP) @ 149bpm.

Thurs - 6 - 2x400 @ 5k pace w/ 200 jog, 1x1600 @ 5k pace 75, 76. 5:15.

Fri - 4 - Recov 8:00/mi

Sat - 11.8- 5k race:

-AM: 7 - 1st in 16:48. Wasn't warmed up enough. 5:28, 5:15.9, 5:13. 55 degs. Sort of hilly after the first mile. Slight wind. Shouldn't have doubled later but did. Half marathon winner was 64:32. 2nd place was 64:37. 3rd was 67:00.

-PM: 4 @ 8:14/mi"

Sun- 5- Easy 7:00/mi (6:49 GAP) @ 145bpm. 60-something degs.

Total: 48

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*Week of 10/28/19

Mon- 7- Easy 7:08/mi (6:56 GAP)@ 146bpm. 62 degs. Felt tired. Poor sleep last night (low quality and less than 6 h).

Tues- 9-

-AM: 6x1k @ CV w/ 200 jog, spike up, 4x200 @ mile pace w/ 200 jog 1ks: 3:25.6, 3:25.8, 3:26.0, 3:26.5, 3:25.2, 3:23.3. 200s: 32.3, 34.8, 34.2, 33.8. Felt a bit flat during this. I couldn't turn my brain off and keep the pace. Had to consciously maintain it every 200m. Felt sleepy. 57 degs. HR steadily rose with each interval, of course. Topped out at 173bpm on the last one. Poor sleep last night again (low quality and less than 6 h).

-PM: cross-training -- 2x10 mins moderate w/ 2 mins rest on Versa Climber -- 1213 ft first set, 1264 ft second set.

Wed- 6- Easy 7:44/mi

Thurs- 7.5- Workout 3 mi @ steady state (5:51 [158 bpm], 6:02 [163 bpm], 5:51 [165 bpm]), 2 mi @ threshold (5:42, 5:44). Avg for 5 mi - 5:51 (5:46 GAP). Avg HR - 166 bpm. Pretty windy for the 2 threshold miles. Felt really stoked after this run.

Fri- 6- Easy 7:23/mi -- followed by cross-training on Versa Climber again -- 20 mins easy (2176 ft) [10 min split - 1088 ft]

Sat- 11- LR - 7 easy into 4 moderate Last 4 mi - 6:39, 6:34, 6:37, 6:13. Hilly.

Sun- 4- Recov 8:45/mi

Total: 50

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Also resistance training 2x per week. Will be implementing pool running soon.